General Secretary of the Trades Union Congress

The General Secretary of the TUC is the chief permanent officer of the Trades Union Congress, and a major figurehead in the trade union movement in the United Kingdom.

The Secretary is responsible for the effective operation of the TUC and for leading implementation of policies set by the annual Congress and the organisation's General Council. They also serve as the TUC's chief representative, both with the public and with other organisations.

The position was formed in 1921, when the Parliamentary Committee of the TUC became the General Council. The position of Secretary has been a permanent, full-time position in the TUC since 1904. Before that, the Secretary was elected annually at Congress.

Between January 2013 and December 2022, the incumbent position was held by Frances O'Grady, the first woman to hold the post. O'Grady was succeeded by the current General Secretary, Paul Nowak – the Deputy General Secretary during O'Grady's leadership – on 29 December 2022.

Secretaries of the Parliamentary Committee of the TUC

 * W. H. Wood (1868–1869)
 * George Potter (1869–1872)
 * George Odger (1872–1873)
 * George Howell (1873–1876)
 * Henry Broadhurst (1876–1885)
 * George Shipton (1885–1886)
 * Henry Broadhurst (1886–1890)
 * Charles Fenwick (1890–1894)
 * Sam Woods (1894–1905)
 * W. C. Steadman (1905–1911)
 * C. W. Bowerman (1911–1921)

General Secretaries of the TUC
{{legend|#E6E6AA|Denotes Acting General Secretary}}
 * Status

Deputy General Secretaries of the TUC

 * 1977: Norman Willis
 * 1985: Kenneth Graham
 * 1987: John Monks
 * 1993: Brendan Barber
 * 2003: Frances O'Grady
 * 2013: Post vacant
 * 2016: Paul Nowak
 * 2022: Post vacant

Assistant General Secretaries of the TUC

 * 1917: Fred Bramley
 * 1924: Walter Citrine
 * 1926: Alec Firth
 * 1931: Vincent Tewson
 * 1947: George Woodcock
 * 1960: Vic Feather
 * 1969: Len Murray
 * 1973: Norman Willis
 * 1978: Kenneth Graham and David Lea
 * 1985: Roy Jackson and David Lea
 * 1992: David Lea
 * 1999: Post vacant
 * 2003: Kay Carberry
 * 2013: Kay Carberry and Paul Nowak
 * 2016: Post vacant
 * 2022: Kate Bell